The Belcea Quartet is a string quartet, formed in 1994, under the leadership of violinist Corina Belcea.

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History

The quartet was formed while its members were studying at the Royal College of Music in London. While there, they were coached by the Chilingirian Quartet. They subsequently studied with the Alban Berg Quartet ^[1] at Cologne.

The quartet was one of the first groups to participate in the BBC New Generation Artists Scheme, from 1999 to 2001. They made their Carnegie Hall debut in 2000 as part of the 'Distinctive Debuts' series. ^[2] Their first performance at the Edinburgh International Festival was in August 2001. ^[3] The Belcea Quartet were quartet in-residence at Wigmore Hall in London from 2001 to 2006. During their Wigmore residency, the quartet participated in the first performances of The Canticle of the Rose by Joseph Phibbs ^[4].

Their debut recording with EMI won Gramophone Magazine's Debut Recording Prize. An earlier recording of the Leos Janácek quartets was awarded a Diapason d’Or in France. The quartet has also twice received the Royal Philharmonic Society Award for Chamber Music Ensemble.

During the 2005-2006 season, cellist Alasdair Tait left the ensemble. His replacement was the French cellist Antoine Lederlin. ^[5] This new incarnation of the group performed at Carnegie Hall in March 2006 with Ian Bostridge.

The quartet has also performed at the Vienna Musikverein and the Amsterdam Concertgebouw.

Current members

• Corina Belcea-Fisher, violin
• Laura Samuel, violin
• Krzysztof Chorzelski, viola
• Antoine Lederlin, cello

Former members

• Alasdair Tait, cello

Recordings

Partial list of recordings:

• Debussy, Dutilleux, Ravel - String Quartets, 2001
• Schubert - String Quartets, 2002 ^[6]
• Brahms - String Quartets, 2004 ^[7]
• Britten - String Quartets, 2005 ^[8]
• Schubert - Trout Quintet (with pianist Thomas Adès), 2005 ^[9]
• Mozart - String Quartets, 2006 (original line-up)
• Béla Bartók - Complete String Quartets, 2008

Notes

References

1. Erica Jeal, "Belcea Quartet/Erben". ''The Guardian'', 6 December 2005.
2. James R. Oestreich, "Robust Joking By Way of Haydn". ''New York Times'', 14 March 2000.
3. Tim Ashley, "Belcea Quartet". ''The Guardian'', 18 August 2001.
4. Andrew Clements, review of December 2005 Wigmore Hall concert with Lisa Milne. ''The Guardian'', 14 December 2005.
5. Erica Jeal, "Belcea Quartet/Collins". ''The Guardian'', 28 March 2006.
6. Tim Ashley, "Schubert: 'Rosamunde' Quartet; Quartet in E Flat; Quartettsatz in C Minor". ''The Guardian'', 31 January 2003.
7. Andrew Clements, "Brahms: String Quartet Op 51 no 1; String Quintet Op 111, Kakuska/ Belcea Quartet". ''The Guardian'', 6 February 2004.
8. Andrew Clements, "Britten: String Quartets Nos 1-3; Three Divertimenti, Belcea Quartet". ''The Guardian'', 1 April 2005.
9. Andrew Clements, "Adès: Piano Quintet; Schubert: Trout Quintet: Ades/Arditti Quartet/Belcea Quartet". ''The Guardian'', 6 May 2005.